Gregory Island (45225)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Gregory Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -76.8144, Longitude: 162.9624
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 0.69847
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Gregory Island, McMurdo Sound, is situated a few hundred metres off the coast of the Evans Piedmont Glacier, southern Victoria Land. It is situated ~5 km north of Cape Archer and ~8 km south of Cape Ross. The ice free island is ~1.2 km long and up to 0.8 km wide. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki) colony present at the site and comprises all of Gregory Island. The nearest permanent scientific stations are Scott Base (NZL) and McMurdo (USA) situated ~150 km to the south-east on Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: South Polar Skuas breed on Gregory Island, with ~119 breeding pairs estimated in 1983 (Ainley et al. 1986). No recent information on the colony is available, and no other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: Island coastline where island is ≤ 5 km2.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Ainley, D.G., Morrell, S.H. & Wood, R.C. 1986. South Polar Skua breeding colonies in the Ross Sea region. Notornis 33: 155-163.